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Thanks but I never called you ignorant just because you can't speak proper English either, just saying be nice.

I can speak three other languages beside English and I never called you or anybody else ignorant for not speaking any of this languages (properly) either, so I guess I'm nice, maybe perhaps too nice (by your logic).

I know, my English is not perfect, so which part of "Except QR codes are open, anybody can implement reader in any device with camera without paying any license to anyone, you don't need a high end phone for that. You don't even need any device either, all you need is a pen and paper and decode it by hand if you want to." you didn't understand? Maybe I can explain it a different way.

While not proprietary by manufacturer, decoding a QR code at a cache site does require special equipment which many cachers do not have.

QR code is an ISO standard and it's specification is open and widely known, you don't need special equipment to decode it. It can be done by pen and paper even at a cache site, but I wouldn't do it this way.

Originally Posted by brdad

Until a few months ago, I didn't have a camera on my phone, and I do not think the one I have now is capable of decoding QR codes.

I have had a camera phone since 2003, but didn't have a GPS until 2006. It's year 2010 and I don't think there is an excuse for not being to decode a QR code.

Originally Posted by brdad

And I'm not interested in QR code caches enough to find out, and those QR code caches which are puzzles on the cache page can be easily decoded online at several web sites. While I take no opposition to someone hiding a cache which requires decoding of QR codes (even at the cache site of it is so noted in the description), I would not like to see the use of QR codes implemented in all caches. I feel exactly the same way about this new Chirp.

Different people like different way of caching. Different caches require a different equipment to find a cache. You may need GPS, car, kayak, climbing gear, QR code reader, what ever. In all cases you can choose from which manufacturer you buy. This cannot be said about chirp. It's a bad idea to have a vendor lock in the game.

QR code is an ISO standard and it's specification is open and widely known, you don't need special equipment to decode it. It can be done by pen and paper even at a cache site, but I wouldn't do it this way.

I'd forgotten it can be done by hand, but it certainly is not the preferred method of doing so. Much like one could swim to Monhegan island to do the caches there.

Originally Posted by cano

Different people like different way of caching. Different caches require a different equipment to find a cache. You may need GPS, car, kayak, climbing gear, QR code reader, what ever. In all cases you can choose from which manufacturer you buy. This cannot be said about chirp. It's a bad idea to have a vendor lock in the game.

I agree, that is why I have no problem if a few hiders want to hide a QR code cache. Regarding the Chirp, it may be proprietary, but it's the first of its kind. I'm guessing other similar devices which are more universal will soon follow. And I am guessing gc.com assumes this, too, since the attribute is not for "Garmin Chirp", it is for "Wireless Beacon".